TIFFIN, Ohio — Newly unveiled text messages reveal that Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff raised concerns to County Public Relations Coordinator Sheri Trusty before she published an article targeting Advertiser-Tribune reporter Kayla Trevino.
Trusty’s article, which defended fellow Commissioner Bill Frankart amid his ongoing custody battle and included a personal attack on Trevino, was ultimately removed from the county website following public backlash.
According to text messages obtained by TiffinOhio.net, Trusty reached out to Shuff asking him to call her regarding the article before she published it. Shuff advised caution, inquiring about where the article might be published and expressing the need to consult other officials.
“What medias do you foresee running your article?” Shuff asked Trusty in one message.
Trusty responded, “I have no idea. Does that matter? If you’re worried about looking bad, I can take your name out.”
Shuff clarified that he was not concerned about his own reputation but wanted to gather input from others. “I was just asking your opinion. I’m not worried about looking bad. I’ll be in touch. I’m not saying yes or no. I just value Tony and Barb’s opinion too,” he replied, referring to Seneca County Board of Commissioners President Anthony Paradiso and County Administrator Barb Patterson.
Trusty questioned why their opinion was necessary, asking, “Why do you need their opinion to protect Bill and his family from damaging, public humiliation?”
In response, Shuff referenced his turbulent experience in public office, specifically his 2022 conviction for drunk driving, during which he says he sought internal guidance before making public statements. “When I had my issue a few years back, I wanted to talk to my office internally before drafting anything up,” Shuff explained.
The conversation concluded with Trusty saying, “Good night, Tyler.” Shuff replied, acknowledging that Trusty seemed upset and potentially offended during their discussion: “All of this has just happened in the last 24 hours. Let’s put our heads together. I’m sure you’re mad at me right now, but please respect my willingness to hear my coworkers’ views.”
This dialogue between Shuff and Trusty is part of the limited records provided to TiffinOhio.net thus far. Additional records include two voicemails from citizens expressing concerns over the article.
The released records notably lack any correspondence between Shuff and Paradiso, despite Shuff’s indication that he was awaiting a call back from Paradiso.
TiffinOhio.net has reached out to Seneca County officials for further records and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
